Unusual dumbbell tumours of the mediastinum and thoracic spine.

Due to a lack of large clinical series in the literature of chondrosarcomas and hydatid disease presenting as mediastinal dumbbell tumours, clinicians have limited experience on this topic. We present three unusual cases of dumbbell tumour involving the spinal canal; two patients had chondrosarcoma originating from Th8-Th9 and Th10-Th12; one patient had a hydatid cyst at Th5-Th6. We performed a single-stage combined thoracic-neurosurgical approach in two patients, and a double-staged approach in one patient. During the intraspinal dissection, an operating microscope was used under electrophysiological monitoring. Spinal canal reconstruction was not required for any of the cases. Preoperative knowledge of neuroforaminal extension and the relations between the tumour and adjacent neural-vascular structures is essential to prevent spinal cord damage and plan the surgical approach. In chondrosarcomas, prognosis depends on patient age, histological grade, extent of surgery and response to radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. In this article, the diagnostic and surgical difficulties of these unusual tumours and current treatment modalities are discussed with a review of the relevant literature.     

显微内窥镜下髓核摘除治疗腰椎间盘突出症术中并发症原因分析及防治措施

目的:分析显微内窥镜下髓核摘除术(MED)治疗腰椎间盘突出症术中并发症的发生原因,总结预防及处理办法。方法:回顾性分析2001年10月至2012年1月,采用显微内窥镜下髓核摘除治疗腰椎间盘突出症的患者851例,男469例,女382例;年龄16～75岁,平均42.5岁;病程1～18个月,平均3个月。突出间隙:L3,424例,L4,5418例,L5S1409例。主要症状为腰痛伴下肢放射性疼痛、麻木,其中单侧下肢症状者729例,双侧下肢症状者122例,相应神经支配区感觉、肌力、反射异常及肌肉萎缩4项检查至少2项出现异常,神经牵拉试验阳性,CT或MRI表现与临床症状、体征相吻合。851例患者未同时合并腰椎失稳、椎管狭窄患者,未包括高位腰椎间盘突出症及合并马尾神经综合征患者。记录术中并发症的发生情况。结果:依据Macnab标准,总体优良率为87.5%(745/851),与开放手术相似。1例因设备故障中转为切开手术,1例术后11d因突发心肌梗塞死亡,2例于术后1h内出现急性硬膜外血肿。发生硬脊膜损伤28例,发生率3.29%(28/851)。神经根牵拉伤38例,发生率4.46%(38/851);腹膜后血肿1例,不完全性马尾损伤2例,不完全性神经根断裂2例。结论:熟练的镜下止血技巧、精细的操作是预防MED术中并发症的重要因素,及时发现及时处理是防治显微内窥镜下髓核摘除术术中并发症的有效措施。